The invention relates to a heat collection, dissipation and storage system, particularly one for utilization in solar energy systems. The invention contemplates maximizing utilization of the solar energy incident upon a building in as simple a manner as possible.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a complete roofing system is provided for a building, which roofing system is capable of making maximum utilizing of incident solar radiation and takes the place of conventional roofing materials. Mounted upon underlying building components are a plurality of wooden boards or the like which define an air space beneath a roof support sheet. The support sheet includes an edge means upstanding therefrom around the circumference thereof. Means are provided for defining a substantially water and air-tight volume within the volume defined by the support sheet and upstanding edge means, with the support sheet, edge means, and volume defining means covering the entire roof surface. The volume-defining means consists of first and second water impermeable membranes which are generally coextensive, the first membrane abutting the support sheet and edge means and the second membrane overlying the first membrane. Portions of both membranes overlap the edge means, and a steel band or the like is used for affixing overlapping portions of the membranes to the edge means around the outer periphery thereof to define the substantially liquid and air-tight volume between the membranes. Valve means are provided for intaking and exhausting air from between the membranes during draining and filling of the volume between the membranes with liquid.
The support sheet is supported so that it has a slight slope inwardly from the edge means to define a low drain point adjacent the center of the support sheet. A liquid outlet from the volume between the membranes is located at the low drain point, and a liquid inlet to between the membranes is located outwardly spaced from the low drain point adjacent to a portion of the edge means. Liquid conduit and circuitry means cooperate with the inlet and outlet for supplying liquid to and draining liquid from the volume between the membranes depending upon whether heating or cooling is desired, passing the liquid to and between a main and a secondary water storage tank, and utilizing a number of pumps, valves, temperature sensors, and a heat exchanger for effecting heat exchange between liquid circulating in the conduit and circuitry means and ambient air in the building.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an insulated liquid storage tank is provided for preferred utilization in solar energy storage systems, and is particularly useful with the system described above. The insulated storage tank comprises an outer surface generally defining the volume of the tank with a plurality of substantially vertically extending interior divisions formed within the outer surface and dividing the volume defined by the outer surface into a plurality of compartments. This provides for horizontal separation of liquid volumes within the tank. Liquid conduit means extend from the top of each of a plurality of the compartments into the bottom of the adjacent one of a plurality of the compartments to transport liquid through an interior division between the adjacent compartments. This provides vertical separation of liquid volumes within the tank. At least one liquid inlet is provided to the bottom of one of the compartments, and at least one liquid outlet is provided from the top of at least one of the compartments, and valve means are provided for controlling the introduction of liquid into and the withdrawal from the inlet and outlet respectively.
The insulated liquid storage tank preferably includes a central insulated pair of vertical partitions separating adjacent sets of compartments on either side thereof. A liquid inlet and outlet are provided to and from each of the sets of compartments divided by the central partitions. The tank is utilized with a plurality of automatically operated valves, pumps, and temperature sensors for controlling flow to and from the various compartments.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective system for solar heat collection, dissipation, and storage. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.